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The Animal Welfare Society (AWS) today announced that Dr. Steve Askin, VMD, has opened a low-cost/high-quality spay/neuter clinic in a newly-renovated space inside the shelter through a generous grant by the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation. The clinic, aptly named The Shelter Spay/Neuter Clinic, will perform spay or neuter surgeries and give rabies vaccinations for cats and kittens belonging to low-income owners. The Clinic will also provide spay and neuter services to other animal rescue groups and shelters.

The Clinic aims to provide low-income cat owners a means to spay or neuter their cat at a price that is affordable. Through the surgeries, the Clinic will assist in keeping cats with their owners and lessening the burden on already overcrowded animal shelters. “In these difficult economic times, too many low-income pet owners are in danger of losing their feline companions,” said Sharon Secovich, Spay/Neuter Coordinator at AWS. “The clinic will prevent endless unwanted kittens.”

By providing low-cost spaying and neutering, the clinic will also help ensure that more cats have homes. “We are so very pleased to be able to offer another service to the public and to our area’s animals. The Clinic will prevent the feline population from growing and will hopefully put far less strain on local groups working very hard to find homes,” said Steve Jacobsen, Executive Director of the AWS.

The Clinic had a soft opening in May and has already performed nearly 500 surgeries.

The Clinic is open Wednesday through Friday on an appointment basis. Surgeries are $39.95 and can be scheduled by calling 207-985-3244. Proof of low-income status is required. “We encourage all cat owners to contact us to see if they qualify. We are here to help,” said Dr. Askin.